In some of my reviews, I have a spoilers section. It will be clearly defined but please do not read that portion if you have not read the book. I use this section as a refresher since we generally have to wait so long for the next book in a series.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Brent & Layla are perfect together! Both of them have a ton of baggage, but they soon realize that they complete one another. Blake was raised by his military father, who was beyond strict, and made him give up one of his passions he deemed too feminine. When he is caught sneaking around, he is then kidnapped in the middle of the night by his fathers soldiers and taken to military school. He hasn't ever forgiven his mother for standing by while his father abused all of them, and giving away his secret.
Layla got pregnant at sixteen, and was forced to marry the guy. She has lived in an abusive, dysfunctional marriage for sixteen years before she decides that enough is enough. She packs up herself, and her sixteen year old daughter, and leaves Seattle for Vegas. While working in a gym she meets Brent, one of the UFC fighters. He is strictly a no-strings attached, and no mothers period kind of guy. His feelings for Layla surprise him, because she is everything he doesn't want.

***Spoilers***
Layla's ex husband Stuart allows his wife to leave a little too easily. He makes arrangements with the UFL's owner, for her to sign off on some drugs for the gym doctor, to use on one of the guys. What neither of them realize is that the doctor who is supposedly supplying herbal supplements is really giving Brent steroids. They planned for Blake to get caught, and Layla to be involved so Stuart can rush in to save her and bring her back. What no one counts on is Brent and Layla's love for each other. While in a stand off, where Stuart is trying to bring Layla home, he reveals more information than she is ready to hear. On that night sixteen years ago, Stuart and a bunch of his friends slipped Layla a roofie, and they all raped her. Since that night he has repeatedly raped her, and she has never given consent. Layla is beside herself knowing that she is unsure who Elle's father is. Brent tells everyone there, that Layla and Elle are his, and he wants them. They are able to tape confessions from both Stuart and Gibbs, and restore Brent's career. At the end of the book, Brent asks Elle if she would allow him to be her father. Soon after Layla reveals that she is pregnant with Brent's baby.

Sins & Needles was a pretty amazing book. I couldn't put it down until I was finished, which didn't happen until after one this morning.
Ellie grew up as the only child of con-artist parents. She was put to use early on in their scams, and she was used to packing up and running in the middle of the night. When Ellie decides to return to the only home she's ever had, with her uncle, she doesn't count on running into Camden McQueen. She should have chosen her mark more carefully, because this job is nothing like usual. After being set up, and caught in her own game she is given a choice on the consequence. This choice takes them both through some incredibly risky business, and dangerous situations.

I hate that there are only three books in this series.. Ellie's parents were con-artists, and taught her at a very young age how to get what she wanted by taking advantage of others. At eleven, she experienced first hand the tragedy of her parents greed, when she was caught trying to rob a cartel boss. He poured acid down her leg, scarring her for life, and robbing any chance that she could walk away and live a normal life. From that point on, she was drowning in her need for revenge, allowing it to shape all of her decisions, and her life.
Camden McQueen loved Ellie Watt from the first moment he met her as young teenagers. They were both outcasts, who came from terrible families, and the only friend each other had. Her need to fit in, to be normal, allowed her to make a terrible decision, hurting Camden, and losing the only person who ever loved her for her.
When they run into one another several years later, their only thoughts are their schemes to get what they want. Ellie wants money, and Camden has plenty. Camden wants a new life, and Ellie has the contacts to make that happen. What starts out as a strained truce, turns into love like neither has ever known.
Too bad Javier, Ellie's psycho ex-boyfriend is not content to sit back, and allow her to live happily ever after. In the end, everyone gets what they deserved, and I couldn't be happier with how it all played out!!

Willow Aster sure has a talent for breaking your heart wide open. Caroline's story is so devastating, and unbelievably unfair. Every person, in every lifetime will have their share of sorrows, but Caroline seems to have quite a bit more than her fair share. Without her biological family, she continues to move forward, and take one more step every day. Throughout circumstances that would have most people crumbling, she overcomes and finds a family of her own.

I started the Jane Yellowrock series four years ago, and I still look forward to reading these when the come out. There are very few series that I can stick with for long, because after a while most of them turn into filler, to make another buck. Downside Ghosts, Night Huntress, and Vampire academy are the only other series I can think of that I am still hanging on to.
Jane and her new partners, Eli & Kid are still working together to keep New Orleans safe. Molly hasn't forgiven her for taking Evangeline's life, even though she didn't have a choice. When two of Katie's working girls come up missing, and then Evan shows up irate, looking for his wife Molly, Jane gets sucked into leading another paranormal investigation.

***Spoilers***
Jack Shoffru, master vamp in Mexico, and old world pirate has entered the Louisiana territory seeking asylum (or so he says). He learned that Jane killed the Damours, and thought Molly had the blood diamond that was recovered from the black magic using family. When he learns that Shiloh, Molly's missing niece is in fact newly turned, and coming out of devoveo, he kidnaps her to draw Molly in. She heads to New Orleans to get Jane, and to try to fix things, but Reach (computer genius turned traitor) is working for Shoffru, and alerts him to her presence there. He kidnaps her before she can ever see Jane, and uses her magic for his own nefarious purposes. He keeps her blood drunk, and compliant. In the last battle Eli is badly injured, and almost dies. Leo beats Shoffru in a duel, killing him in the process, and Jane takes out his second. Bruiser is officially split from working for Leo, since his new Onario status prevents him from being bound. He is bunking at Janes house for a little while, with the Younger brothers, and Molly & her family. Ricky came back into Janes life, only for a moment before he ditched her for another werepanther from Africa. She is heartbroken, but determined never to allow him back in. The kitten Aggie One Feather gave Jane, turns out to be a familiar for Molly, helping her to keep her new bad magic at bay until she can figure out a long term plan. For now all is right, and Jane's adopted family is safe.

Anna, Sam, Cas, & Nick are all on the run after escaping the Branch. They are all experiencing flashbacks, erased memories that are resurfacing. When they get word that someone is searching for Anna in the town of their latest hideout, the person the discover is a shock to them all. This discovery changes everything, and whatever decision they make, alters the course for all of them.
Erased wasn't as good as Altered, but I do like the series, and plan to continue with book three.

***Spoilers***
Dani is the one searching for Anna, but she is captured by the Branch before they find her. They call Trev for help, and he gives them the locations he knows of that they might have her in. When the find her they are ambushed, and barely escape. Anna only escapes because Trev frees her from an agent. Did he set them up? It's ironic they show up there, but why set them up just to save her? Dani is fine with Sam and Anna's relationship, even though they used to be together. All this time everyone thought she was dead. Dani sets them all up, making a deal with Will, their uncle who is also the founder of the Branch. She exchanges the boys, for hers and Anna's freedom. Anna does not go along with this plan, and ends up killing Dani while trying to escape. She also learns from her memories that she is the one who killed her parents after her dad shot her, and was going to kill the rest of them. In the end, Trev helps the boys free Anna, and she kills Will, knowing they will never be free of the Branch with him alive. Trev catches up to Anna in a coffee shop, and gives Anna a cell phone with a detonate button. When the button is pressed, all three of the Branch's locations are blown up. None of the employees are talking, and only Riley is unaccounted for. The four of them are together, and trying to settle into a life without looking over their shoulders at every turn, or fleeing for their lives.

Monday, January 13, 2014

The Descent wrapped up The Taker trilogy nicely. It wasn't as thrilling as the previous two books, and that was probably because it was written as an end. I can't say that the ending was all that shocking, though very unlikely.